As I have said before, we started a new church-wide study called "The Story". We are on the 2nd Sunday of 31. Let me tell you all, it is FANTASTIC. Basically, in a nut shell, The Story is the Bible in chronological order. It's NOT the actual Bible, but it is the Bible in the correct order. There are no additives in it, but it's not in verse form. It reads sort of like a novel which makes it sink in much easier than the Bible itself (which we all know can be hard to follow at times). I have learned three new things that NEVER occurred to me and I wanted to pass them along to you all.

1. DID YOU KNOW that God's intention was to live with us on earth from the beginning when He made Adam and Eve? His intention was to live among us and basically have heaven here on earth. When Adam and Eve were tempted by satan to eat from the tree of good and evil, their eyes were opened and forever changed mankind. Mankind now knew that there was good and evil. ALSO directly after Adam and Eve sinned, God put the fire swinging swords over the tree of life (eternal life) because He did not want Adam and Eve to eat from this tree and gain eternal life with the sin they had done and would eventually continue to do. From that moment on, God made it OUR choice to choose Him. We all know the difference between good and evil- but it is OUR choice to choose which one we'll do. Good obviously being God and evil obviously being satan. I never looked at it like this... that God's intention was to LIVE AMONG us on earth!!!! What an impact Adam and Eve caused!

2. Sarah wanted to "help" God out by allowing Abraham to sleep with Hagar (her servant) so that Abraham would have a son (which God had promised). Well in doing so, Hagar bore to Abraham a son named Ishmael. When God comforted Hagar when she was distressed about Sarah becoming pregnant, He told Hagar that He would make Ishmael's descendants as numerous as the stars. BUT DID YOU KNOW, that Ishmael began the Muslim faith? This was an eye opening thing to me because of the sin Muslims are committing. Ishmael's life began as a result of a sin.... adultery.

3. When Abraham was told to sacrifice his son Isaac, he was around 115 years old. Isaac was around 15 years old. They went up to the mountain of Moriah where God told him (Abraham) to sacrifice Isaac. DID YOU EVER CATCH that Abraham told the servants and travelers with them "stop here, we are going up on this mountain to pray to our God and then we will return". NOTICE he said "WE". I do not believe, whatsoever that Abraham knew God would stop him, but for some reason he told the people with him "WE" will be back. ALSO, DID YOU KNOW that some 2,000+ years later the mountain this all happened on (Abraham nearly sacrificing Isaac) would become the city of JERUSALEM!?!? I'm not sure of the exact verse, but in 1 Corinthians it tells us that the mountain of Moriah became the very city Jesus walked in!

I wanted to share these neat things and please feel free to comment and leave feedback.

GOD BLESS!! <><

__________________...and on that day when my strength is failing, the end draws near and my times has come, still my soul will sing Your praise unending, ten thousand years and then forevermore!